This time, we get to know Sum of Seven, a progressive metal band originating from Turku Finland with the following line-up:
Ari Lempinen - Guitar
Esa Lempinen - Keyboards
Miika Erkkilä - Bass
Rasmus Raassina - Drums
Harri Annala - Guitar
Marko Loukamaa - Vocals
The track "The Enemy" is featured in the New Artist Spotlight Family of Playlists.
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𝟭. Where are you from and what are your hobbies?
I (Ari) am from Turku Finland. I have a problem of getting engaged with so many things that I don't have time to focus on any of them. But composing for my band, playing guitar, scubadiving and building a house(at the moment) takes most of my time. In addition to those I create pencil art, photograph, rock climb and play computer games.
𝟮. How did your get into music?
I've been fortunate to grow up in a musical family so I have been involved at a very young age. My father is a master at classsical guitar and my brother plays keyboards in Sum of Seven. I first started with classical guitar with my father teaching and expanded to electric guitar in my teenage years. With electric guitar I aplied the teachings I learned with my father and learned some rock & metal and I was sold. I've been in numerous bands and composed my own music from the very beginning. Somewhere in the late nineties I first heard Dream Theater and fell in love with progressive music.
𝟯. Who are your biggest influences?
Hard to narrow down but at the moment Haken, Leprous, Dream Theater, Soilwork. Dream Theater is one of those bands that really helped to define and create a genre. As for Haken and Leprous they have both created some great mordern progressive rock that is utterly inspiring. Soilwork is one of the heviest bands that I discovered during my teenage years and they too have created some amazing genre defining music.
4. What are your goals in the music industry?
Well I guess It would be great to make a living out of creating music. But to be honest that is unlikely to happen. To be signed to release great music to play great gigs. That is already huge. And getting to basics in Sum of Seven we have a group of friends together who enjoy playing together and creating music. That is insane. Even If we never get discovered we can say we had a blast together.
5. If you could choose a location to perform at, what would it be?
Woodstock(Poland) would be insane and should be self explanatory, but at the same time Download, Wacken, Bloodstock, Ozzfest which are focused on metal & hard rock would be amazing. The truth is that at the moment there are not too many live possibilities at all. So playing anywhere would be great.
6. What is your all-time favorite song?
I seriously don't have one. But one of my favorites is Strange Deja Vu by Dream Theater from their Scenes From A Memory album. That song is pure delight. Great riffs, great melody. The whole album has a place in my all time top 10 albums
7. Most embarrassing moment?
Hmm. Well I remember at one gig we really dived in to the depths of prog when we lost the synergy and no one knew where we were in the song. We eventually got back on par with each other and managed to finish the song but we almost lost it. I don't know if anyone in the audience noticed but that was probably themost embarassing moment.
8. Proudest accomplishment?
I am extremely proud of our two recent singles "Voices" and "The Enemy". I think they capture the essence of what our music is about. That being said our latest album "Time Is Not On Your Side" contains some great music aswell. It does say something that the largest magazine focused on progressive music "Prog" decided to review it.
9. What is something about you that might surprise someone who knows you the best?
Don't really know what to answer here. Well this no one really knows. While doing climbing excercises I have fallen from a distance of 9m straight to solid rock on my ass and survived. Peculiarly my ass did not hurt at all. Amazing right? Hope my angel is ok :)
𝟭𝟬. What is your dream collaboration?
Oh my. Collaboration with Haken or Leprous or Devin Townsend would be huge. It would mean the worlds to get some insight on what they go through when composing. I have an extremely weird way of composing but not unheard of I think and it would be great to share some thoughts and create something together with the masters.
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